Tomato harvester



July 6, 1965 R. BUTTON 3,193,020

TOMATO HARVESTER Filed Dec. 18. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 205527 A .fizxrm/v July 6, 1965 R. L. BUTTON TOMATO HARVESTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 18, 1961 I NVEN TOR. 205527 L. 50770 July 6, 1965 R. L. BUTTON TOMATO HARVESTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. 205527 A. fiz/rralv I 1%? ATTOEIVEVS Filed Dec. 18, 1961 July 6, 1965 Filed Dec. 18, 1961 R. L. BUTTON TOMATO HARVESTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

205527 A. 507mm QW W R. L. BUTTON TOMATO HARVESTER July 6, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 18, 1961 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent M 3,193,020 TOMATO HARVESTER Robert Leslie Button, Rte. 1, Box 204, Winters, Calif. Filed Dec. 18, 1961, Ser. No. 160,089 3 Claims. (Cl. 17114) This invention relates in general to a machine for harvesting comestibles, especially tomatoes.

It is an object of this invention to provide a machine for harvesting comestibles, especially tomatoes by severing the entire plant from the roots, separating the fruit from the plants in a manner which does not involve damage to the fruit, separating the dirt, leaves, etc., from the fruit and thereafter presenting the fruit for sorting so that the culls may be discarded.

Further objects and advantages of this invention if not specifically set forth, will become apparent during the course of the description which follows.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the harvester of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation showing portions of the opposite side of the structure of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of that portion of the structure shown in FIGURE 2 with a portion of the structure broken away;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged end elevation from the left of FIGURE 1 FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the left end of the structure of FIGURE 1, FIGURE 5 completing the structure partially shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged detailed view of the steel and canvas nozzle through which the fruit is discharged into containers therefor;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged view looking upwardly into the mouth of the structure of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a schematic representation of the overall structure showing the manner in which the various conveyors and other essential elements interact with one another.

Generally, this invention comprises a mobile harvester particularly suited for use in the harvesting of tomatoes wherein a knife assembly is pivoted at the forwardmost end thereof. Gauge Wheels control the elevation of and support both the knife assembly and a conveyor operatively associated with the knife. The knife severs the tomato plants beneath the soil surface and the severed plants are placed on an ascending conveyor from which they are readily disengaged when they reach apparatus for separating the fruit from the plants. Leaves and other debris together with a certain amount of soil accompany the separated fruit to a point at which there is placed a blower which is so oriented as to drive such dirt, leaves, etc. from the conveyor bearing such fruit. A blast of air is directed opposite to the direction of movement of the conveyor supporting the tomatoes and hence results are obtained which are superior (for reasons which will be detailed below) to those possible heretofore where the blowers used for separating dirt and leaves have been oriented to blow at 90 to the direction of the conveyor. The tomatoes are then advanced to an inspection station where the culls may be removed.

Referring now to the drawings (especially FIGURE 8) wherein like characters refer to like parts throughout, a self-propelled harvester having a chassis 10, drive wheels 12, an engine, not shown, and trailing steerable wheels 14 is also provided with gauge or guide wheels 16 which, as seen in FIGURES 8, 1 and 2 support and govern the position or attitude of framework 17 and boom 18. The framework is pivoted to the forward end 20 of the chassis at point 22 and the ascending conveyor, generally 24.

3,l%,2 Patented July 6, 1965 Knife blade 26, the structure of which is more clearly seen in FIGURE 3, is mounted on the leading end of the boom 18. The reel, generally 28 cooperates with the conveyor 24 to feed the cut plants to conveyor-shaker mechanism, generally 30, which is similar in structure and function to the conventional straw-walker. The tomatoes dropped between the ribs of the conveyor separator 31 are caught by endless belt conveyor 32 together with leaves, dirt, stones, etc. which are subsequently discharged onto endless conveyor belt 34. Conveyor belt 32 is preferably perforated so that some of the soil, stones, etc. may pass therethrough. As the tomatoes with the remaining dirt and debris fall from conveyor 32 to conveyor 34, a blast of air is applied via blower 36 through nozzle 37 which will drive anything of smaller diameter than the fruit past horizontal bar 38. The leaves, dirt, etc. fall onto conveyor belt 40 from whence they are discharged forwardly. The tomatoes meanwhile move toward the rear of the machine on endless belt conveyor 34, the culls being segregated manually while they are in transit. The remaining tomatoes are discharged from conveyor 34 onto the ascending conveyor, generally 42, at the uppermost end of which is mounted a discharge nozzle 43 from whence the tomatoes pass into a suitable receptacle. The plant portions remaining on conveyor 30 after separation of the fruit are advanced into the trough 44- and are discharged to one side of the machine by the action of vine auger 46.

The manner in which power is supplied to each of the aforementioned moving parts will be set forth in greater detail below. As seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, the depth of the knife 26 will be determined by the position of the wheels 16 which ride in furrows. The guide wheels 16 are pivotally mounted on frame 17 by means of arcuate brackets 50. Hydraulic cylinders 52 are mounted at the trailing ends of the frame 17 and are secured to the chassis of the vehicle at the other end thereof providing means for raising or lowering the knife 26 and conveyor 24. The side plates 54 of the conveyor have integral therewith triangular sections 56. The space between each opposed pair of these is bridged by a steel rod 58. The rods support wheels 59 which support the underside of conveyor 24. Upright support 60 secured to the uppermost portion of the guide wheel support has slidably mounted at the uppermost end thereof a cam or roller 62 which rides in the track 64 mounted beneath the lowermost edge of triangular frame element 56. This permits adjustment of the angle of incline of the ascending conveyor 24 relative to the boom 18. The conveyor 24 is basically a potato chain of a type which is available commercially and incorporates spaced bars 67 interlinked at their ends, each bar being sufiiciently long to bridge the distance between the frame members 54. Secured to various of these bars are the arcuate tines 68 which are angled slightly away from the direction of movement of the conveyor so that separation of the vines or plants from the tines at the top of the conveyor cycle will be facilitated. At the lowermost end of the conveyor, the chain rides about truncated cones 70 (see FIGURE 3) which are rotatably mounted on plates 54. The potato chain is driven by sprocket 72 which is shown schematically in FIGURE 8 and in plan view in FIGURE 3. Pulley 74 is keyed to the shaft to which also are keyed spaced sprockets 72. The V-belt 76 is reeved about the pulley 74 and at the other end about the large pulley 78 which is keyed to shaft 80 journalled in the bearings 82 in turn supported by the plates 84 and mounting brackets 86 which are welded to the side plates 54 of the ascending conveyor frame. Spokes 88 are secured to shaft 80, the distance between each opposed pair being bridged by horizontal rods 90 which direct the severed plants toward conveyor 24.

Chain 92 is trained about sprocket. 94, idler 96 and sprocket 98 which is keyedto shaft 1%. Mounted co-' axially onshaftitltl immediately behind sprocket 93 is a'second smallersprocket M92 best shown schematically in FZGURE 8. The shaft immediately Vtherebelow, shaft 194, which, like shaft liid; is journal'led in the frame, has also keyed thereto a pair of sprockets llfidand 1 8,'the smaller being foremost. Endless link chain 116 is trained about sprocket 162, idler 112 and sprocket 168.] The.

relatively smaller sprocket tea has trained thereabout end;

115 keyed to the axle of the wheel 12.

Power is also provided through vehicle engine which drives the axle of wheel 12. Sprocket 12b is keyed to the shaft 122; trained about this sprocket and about sprocket 126 keyed to shaftlZS. is endless link chain 124%. Keyed co-axially with sprocket-126 is pulley less link chain 114 which is also trained about the sprocket shaft 122 from'the' I providingfor'the removal of larger portions of the plants freed of the fruit by the action of the straw-walker 30 and advancedto trough 44. Keyed to shaft 170 directly behind sprocket 163 is a smaller sprocket 185, about 130 about whichis reeved V-belt assembly' ilifl which 7 passes along one side 'ofadjustable tension applying: idler 134, and about driven pulley 136. The pulley is keyed to crank. shaft' lfib The crank shaft is journalled in either side of the frame ofthe structure while spaced therefrom is a second cra nk shaft 14-9 also journalled in the side walls of theharvester. Sprocket" 142 is r eyed to a the crank shaft 146. Crank shaft 133 has a correspond; ing sprocket 144 keyed there-to and endless linkchain l ib passes about each'of the last mentioned sprockets and which chain 136 is trained. The chain also contacts one side of sprocket 138 and passes about idler 190.

The shaft i92'to which the sprocket 188 is keyed supports a pair of spaced rollers about which are trained the tomato belt 32 consisting of a series'of rods extending transversely of the harvester which are linked together in the fashion of the aforementioned potato chains. These I rods may conveniently be spaced a distance of about threei quarters of'an inchand have perhaps one-sixteenth inch ofrubber tubing there-about; the latter: preventing bruising of the fruit. The rubber tubing is needed since the tomatoes, after being freed from the vines by the action of. the straw-walker? 39 fall until they are-caught by the conveyor 32. The tornatoes are then advanced to the discharge end of the conveyor adjacent the sprocket 183 atwhichtirne they fall directlyto the conveyor 34 and are struck by a blast of air supplied by the blower so as to remove dirt, leaves, etc; ,Roller 194 at the far end oftheconyeyorbelt 32 is journalled in the frame of the harvester. -Dirt, pebbles, etc; which pass through thespaces between the rods making up conveyor belt32 and which aredriven by the blower 46 past the rod 38 find their way to-conveyor belt which is a conventional contacts the variousidlers 14$, 15d and 152, the last two of which are mounted for adjustment so as to apply such tension to the chain i-idas may be. desired. The space between the crank shafts is bridged by jet-series of parallel ribs 154 having .escalloped upper surfaces, the crank shafts being mounted for rotation, relative thereto by means of bearings, not shown, so that'when the chain 146 is driven in thedirection shown in FlGUREEg-half V of the ribs 354 will be moving upwardly and rearwardly while the other half will be moving downwardly and for: wardly, thus tending to advance the vines or stem portion of the plants toward trough 44. This structure (a strawwalker) has been described elsewhere and hence will not be further detailed here. 7 V i A second sprocket 160 is also keyed to ,the shaft 138 about which is trained endless link chain 162 which, in turn, passes about idler 164-, sprocket 166 and about sprocket ltis keyed to shaft 17% which is journalled in either side of the harvester. Mounted concentrically about shaft 174) is the vine auger 46 which consists ofasteel cylinder having mounted thereabout a steel hel1x172.

The vine auger is also a conventionalstructure and will notbe further described here. 'Idlcr 176 and shaft 173, 2 both mounted on the, frame, the latter havingasprocket' 1S9 keyed thereto have endless link chain 132 trained thereabout, providing power for blower 36 from sprocket 183 keyed to the shaft supporting sprocket 166. The nozzle 37 of the blower is so positioned that air will be forced between the two conveyors 32V and Mina direction opposite to the direction in which tomatoes move, The blower is directed between the discharge point of conveyor 32'and the adjacent'loading point of conveyor 34, these twobeing horizontally spaced from one another. The blowerjforces dirt, small pebbles, leaves,

etc. through' the opening blocked, in part, by rodSS as dirt draper and formed of canvas which may be reinforced with transverse rods or sticks. This conveyor belt is supported by rollers in turn driven by'sprocket 209 222. Endless link chain 224 is reeved thereabout and about sprocket 226which drives the roller 227'sup'porting conveyor be1t-34. The belt 34 is supported inits opposite end by roller 228.

' Shaft 230 of gear bOX' 218: has keyed thereto sprocket 232 which in'turn drives endless link chain 234 and sprocket 236. Co axially mounted is'. sprocket 238 about which is trained endlesslirik chain 240 which drives, sprocket 242. Mounted co-axially therewith is the sprocket, not

' shown, which drives conv'eyor 244 having vertical side plates 245. This conveyor is another potatochain consisting of spaced interlinked parallelrods, as'best seenin FIGURE 5, which are preferably. no greater than threequarters of an inch apartl The conveyor is held down in th area of sprocket 238 by guide plates'246 and is supported by roller1247, atone end thereof. One end of the conveyor mayjb'e raised and lowered by use of hydraulic cylinder 25.0 and there is provided at the uppermost end thereof the discharge nozzle, generally 43, having suitable supporting brackets 253 mounted on either side of the conveyor framework. The nozzle has a lower canvas section seen in FIGURES 4 and 8; The rod 38 is toprevent,

loss of fruit and is so proportioned and positioned that the space between the rod and each conveyor roller is.

less than the diameter of the fruit. The passage of debris to conveyor 4% is essentially unimpeded. Also, I

because the blower is oriented directly contrary to the direction of movement of the'fruit on conveyorfid, the

overall spacing of fruit on the conveyor is not-adversely' affected nor is dirt and debris accumulated atone side of the conveyonas is the case with the'conventional ar- 254 which surrounds frame 255. Rubber straps 256 ex tend transversely thereof whereby to provide means for,

' slowing the descent of the fruit'a'nd so to minimize bruising. 1 V-shaped member 258 is secured to brackets 253 by means of rod264'. Thisprovide's considerable flexibility for the downwardly depending portion of the nozzle. Centering rod266 hooks beneath cross member 268 (FIG- URE 6) and provides additional stabilityfor the entire noz zlestructurep As may be seenin FIGURES 4 5, the unit is providedwith' running boards 27.0 in the area adjacent rangement where a blower is mounted with its nozzle 1 at one side of a conveyor carryingfruiti Chain 162 turns sprocket 168 also which rotates vineauger 46 ;thusj the conveyor belt 34 so that workers may ride thereon and remove culls asthe tomatoes are advanced'to the conveyor unit 42.

i Inthepreferred embod'irnentlthevehicle.is self-propelled and a place for the operator together with controls is provided generally in the area designated 272.

Another preferred feature is means of some variety for spreading the vines as they are transported by strawwalker conveyor 3t). Devices have been constructed for use in similar circumstances, utilizing downwardly depending rubber curtains which, in pairs, form Vs and tend to spread the vines as they are moved toward the trough 44. These may all be supported by the frame members 274 which are seen in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the V-shape of the curtains 27d being seen in FIGURE 3.

To facilitate the separation of culls from other tomatoes on conveyor 34 by persons standing on side platforms 270, there is provided a pair of rails 28% haVing braces 232. The rails are spaced inwardly from the longitudinal edges of belt 3 At the discharge end of belt 34, vertical conduits 284 are provided into which the culls are advanced by the action of conveyor 34. The culls are thus returned to the ground at points adjacent the recently cut vine row.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a harveste has been provided which is effective for cutting, gathering and stripping comestibles from plants wherein the plants must be cut close to the ground or beneath the surface thereof whereby to cause substantial quantities of leaves, stems and possibly dirt to be carried into the mechanism, thus necessitating an effective manner of separating the unwanted dirt and other debris from the comestibles. The arrangement described above is unusually effective wherein the initially used conveyors are mesh or spaced rods and Where the comestible, freed of most of the plant, soil, etc. is struck by a properly directed blast of air which will cause any remaining soil or leaves to be blown off of the conveyor supporting the comestibles.

Obviously many modifications and variations of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope hereof, and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

ll. In a harvester having means for severing plants from the soil, advancing said severed plants into a zone wherein comestibles thereon are freed from the plants, the improvements comprising:

(a) horizontal means having apertures therein of sufficient size to permit said comestibles to pass there through while retaining larger portions of said plants thereon;

(b) a first conveyor beneath said horizontal means for receiving and supporting said comestibles there- (c) a second conveyor parallel to said first conveyor positioned at a level beneath said first conveyor and having its loading point positioned adjacent the discharge point of the said first conveyor;

(d) means for blowing air in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said second conveyor, said means being positioned immediately adjacent the loading point of said second conveyor and immeditaely adjacent the discharge point of the said first conveyor; and

(e) guard means fixed transversely of said conveyors between the discharge point of said first conveyor and the loading point of said second conveyor to prevent said comestibles from being deflected by said air and to insure that said comestibles are loaded onto said second conveyor, said means permitting passage of air and small particles and pieces of plants.

2. In a harvester having means fo severing tomato plants from the soil, advancing said severed plants into a zone wherein tomatoes thereon are freed from the plants, the improvements comprising:

(a) horizontal means having apertures therein of sufficient size to permit said tomatoes to pass therethrough while retaining larger portions of said plants thereon;

(b) a first conveyor beneath said horizontal means for receiving and supporting said tomatoes thereon;

(c) a second conveyor parallel to said first conveyor, positioned at a level beneath said first conveyor moving in the same direction, and having its loading point positioned adjacent the discharge point of the said first conveyor;

(d) means for blowing air in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said second conveyor, said means being positioned immediately adjacent the loading point of said second conveyor and immediately adjacent the discharge point of the said first conveyor;

(e) a third conveyor positioned at a level beneath said second conveyor immediately adjacent the loading point thereof and moving in a direction opposite thereto whereby to provide means for carrying small particles and pieces of material to be discharged away from said second conveyor; and

(f) a rod positioned transversely of said conveyors between the discharge point of said first conveyor and the loading point of said second conveyor, said first and second conveyors being vertically spaced from one another such that said rod therebetween prevents passage of said tomatoes therebetween in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said second conveyor, said rod permitting the passage of air and small particles and pieces of plants to said third conveyor.

3. In a harvester having means for severing plants from the soil, advancing said severed plants into a zone wherein comestibles thereon are freed from the plants, the improvement comprising:

(a) a first conveyor for receiving and supporting comestibles thereon after the comestibles are freed from the plants, said first conveyor having a discharge point for such comestibles;

(b) a second conveyor at a level beneath said first conveyor and having a loading point beneath the discharge point of said first conveyor, 21 space thereby defined between the discharge point of said first conveyor and the loading point of said second conveyor;

(c) means mounted on said harvester for blowing air through said space with sufficient force to propel non-comestibles which may be mixed with said comestibles;

(d) and means mounted on said harvester defining openings in said space smaller than the size of said comestibles but permitting passage therethrough of non-comestibles to thereby prevent loss of comestibles.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,333,493 3/20 Kilkenny l71-20 1,494,45 8 5/ 24 Campbell 171-14 1,544,894 7/25 Farnsworth 209-32 2,269,298 1/42 Widuch 171-44 X 2,559,965 7/51 Innes 17l-27 X T. GRAHAM CRAVER, Primary Examiner. ANTONIO F. GUIDA, ARNOLD RUEGG, Examiners. 

1. IN A HARVESTER HAVING MEANS FOR SEVERING PLANTS FROM THE SOIL, ADVANCING SAIS SEVERED PLANTS INTO A ZONE WHEREIN COMESTIBLES THEREON ARE FEED FROM THE PLANTS, THE IMPROVEMENTS COMPRISING: (A) HORIZONTAL MEANS HAVING APERTURES THEREIN OF SUFFICIENT SIZE TO PERMIT SAID COMESTIBLES TO PASS THERETHROUGH WHILE RETAINING LARGER PORTIONS TO SAID PLANTS THEREON; (B) A FIRST CONVEYOR BENEATH SAID HORIZONTAL MEANS FOR RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING SAID COMESTIBLES THEREON; (C) A SECOND CONVEYOR PARALLEL TO SAID FIRST CONVEYOR POSITIONED AT A LEVEL BENEATH SAID FIRST CONVEYOR AND HAVING ITS LOADING POINT POSITIONED ADJACENT THE DISCHARGE POINT OF THE SAID FIRST CONVEYOR; (D) MEANS FOR BLOWING AIR IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND CONVEYOR, SAID MEANS BEING POSITIONED IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT THE LOADING POINT AT SAID SECOND CONVEYOR AND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT THE DISCHARGE POINT OF THE SAID FIRST CONVEYOR; AND (E) GUARD MEANS FIXED TRANSVERSELY OF SAID CONVEYORS BETWEEN THE DISCHARGE POINT OF SAID FIRST CONVEYOR AND THE LOADING POINT OF SAID SECOND CONVEYOR TO PREVENT SAID COMESTIBLES FROM BEING DEFLECTED BY SAID AIR AND TO INSURE THAT SAID COMESTIBLES ARE LOADED ONTO SAID SECOND CONVEYOR, SAID MEANS PERMITTING PASSAGE OF AIR AND SMALL PARTICLES AND PIECES OF PLANTS. 